News

Jun 13, 2017

Four ways to work smarter with energy managers

Valuable insights into Alliance's role in energy management

BC Hydro offers energy manager programs to our largest customers in both the commercial and industrial sectors. In the last two months we held forums with both groups to provide program updates, get feedback from industry, and to encourage networking, sharing and collaboration among energy managers.

And along the way, we got a clearer idea of how Alliance members can best work with energy managers.

Here are four ways, according to Energy Managers, that Alliance members can help move projects forward:

Help to build the business case

Provide value after implementation

Leverage your industry experience

Understand and work with timelines

In this article we'll explore an example of how an Alliance member helped a customer with item 1: Help to build the business case. We'll continue to explore these topics in future issues of the Alliance newsletter.

Capilano University project an example of how to help build the business case

The Alliance works with energy managers to build a culture of energy efficiency, and Capilano University energy manager William Demopolous says he values that help.

"I view my role as project enabler; many people are needed to make our energy management solutions work," says Demopolous.

In a recent project, wi-fi networks were leveraged to create virtual occupancy sensors to manage HVAC units. This new technology relies on geo-locating wi-fi devices, such as personal smart phones, across the campus to control zone ventilation.

The project raised unique stakeholder concerns such as personal privacy limits and the reliability of building automation that depends upon wi-fi networks.

Input from both Capilano's IT department partners and a software vendor (Cisco Systems and Sensible Building Science) was required. But a key step was the support of an Alliance Member, SES Consulting, which proved the business case and overcame stakeholder concerns by launching a pilot project and refining the roll-out plan.

That's a common story. For many years, Alliance members have been addressing customers concerns to help build business cases for advancing energy management. It can be by engaging financial experts on project payback and energy savings, operations managers on timelines, or staff on light levels.

As Alliance members, your work with energy managers helps build successful business cases that drive strategic energy management forward for some of the largest energy users in the province.